The present invention relates to three-dimensional action figures. In particular, the present invention relates to three-dimensional human, animal or cartoon action characters formed from flat sheet material having torsos formed from folded cartons and jointed movable members which are assembled for oscillatory or pivotal movement with no eyelet, rivet or other added support for the movement.
There are many kinds of printed paper characters that are die-cut and tabbed, glued, or riveted together to form three-dimensional characters which represent real or imaginary figures. One group of printed toys includes flat character dolls that are die-cut and punched out of cardboard or similar material and inserted into a base member to allow the doll to stand upright. These dolls often have accessories such as clothes or weapons that are attached by tabs onto the core character. Another group of printed toys includes pop-up novelty cards, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,656, which incorporate the character doll into an action background setting that gives the flat character an illusion of dimension.
While prior art paper dolls have been successful, they suffer from several deficiencies. Flat paper character dolls that are die-cut or punched out of cardboard or similar material and inserted into a base member to allow them to stand upright are generally presented in a fixed pose which may not be varied by the user, typically a child. The fixed pose limits the creative uses of the characters. The pop-up novelty cards, such as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,656 are similarly provided in a fixed pose and are further typically permanently secured to a background action setting. In sum, the fixed poses of the prior art dolls limit the play potential for the characters and thus limit their attractiveness as useful toys. Additionally, the flat paper character dolls and even the pop-up novelty cards do not adequately or convincingly provide a sense of three-dimensionality, and are therefore not as attractive as toys. Finally, the two-dimensionality of the prior art figures also results in figures which are relatively flimsy and unsturdy. Because the figures are made out of thin sheet material which is typically flexible or bendable, the figures tend to bend and fold easily. The flexibility of the figures greatly reduces their durability and stability, and thus reduces their usefulness as toys.
Action figures which utilize movable joints are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,098 discloses a cardboard action figure with a movable joint. However, the cardboard figures disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,098 generally display only a two-dimensional quality, like the flat paper characters and pop-up novelty figures described above. In particular, the figures disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,098 are assembled from sections of cut or punched out cardboard sections held together by friction and locking joints. In order to stand, the figures have a general inverted U or V-shape which gives them sufficient width to stand when placed on a table or other supporting surface. However, the figures are only viewable from the sides of the figures, and not the front or rear. If viewed from the front or rear, the figures appear only as two spaced-apart pieces of cardboard, and it is not possible to discern who or what the character is. Essentially, U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,098 replaces the base member of the flat paper character dolls with slightly spaced identical images of the figure to provide sufficient width to allow the figure to stand.
The joints used to allow movement in the figures of U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,098 utilize a slit in the stationary member and a radial slit in the movable member, such that the slit in the movable member interlocks with the slit in the stationary member and thereby allows the movable member to pivot relative to the stationary member. However, the joint of U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,098 only allows a limited range of movement for the movable member. If the relative rotation of the members exceeds a predetermined degree of rotation, the members become disengaged. Clearly, disengagement of the movable members (typically arms and legs) is not conducive to use of the character.